


dance until we're dumb in the dark

by perhapssoon



Category: Splatoon
Genre: M/M, alcohol stuff, aloha gets drunk, uhh not explicit, very gay ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 23:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18270998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perhapssoon/pseuds/perhapssoon
Summary: Aloha meets him on the dance floor. He's drunk and tired and wants to dance. His partner is willing to help him with that.





	dance until we're dumb in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> uhhhh self indulgent stuff hell yeah

The bass is pounding, lights flashing on the beat, overloading Aloha with a wild sense of ecstasy. There are already Inklings on the dance floor, showing off their moves, and his leg twitches, wanting to join in. He's thoroughly drunk, having downed five shots in a row as a bet to his so-called 'friend' Rider that he wouldn't be able to see straight afterwards. Yet here he is, vision still miraculously intact, sitting at the bar with a bunch of Inklings he doesn't know.

"Remind me your name again?" His words slur, mixing together, and he finds it hilarious, letting out a laugh.

The girl besides him just smiles and waves over a refill for them both. "You won't remember it after this."

"I guess you're right." He can't help but let a little tone of disappointment enter his voice as he pouts at her. "Wanna have this next dance then, darling?"

She arcs an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, sure."

The music changes then, to some slow song he can't make out. It's all a mush of sound and he allows himself to be led from the bar by this mystery girl, letting himself get swept away in the sea of throbbing bodies.

When they make it to the middle of the floor, the girl slings her arms around his neck, pulling him close enough to smell her perfume. A mixed scent of roses and vodka floats off her body, and Aloha melts into her touch, placing his hands around her waist as they sway slowly to the beat.

"Never got your number," he says after a moment, his voice pitched oddly down a couple octaves. His face feels hot, though he meets her gaze steadily. The music around them had faded into a slow thrum as muted colors flashed on past them.

She lowers her eyelids and laughs, breath smelling mostly of alcohol and lime. "I'm saving it for people I know," is all her response is and though Aloha can't make heads or tails of it, he nods along, unwilling to let this woman go, to let her be lost to the gently waving mob of colors and sound. 

"That's smart, babe."

She smiles then, and pokes him on the nose. "You're sweet. That's cute, but you do know I have a boyfriend, right?"

He shrugs loosely the best he can in the circumstances. "You do know I'm drunk, right? I don't know shit."

"Fair." She laughs and pulls away from him, spinning so her skirt flares out around her. "This song's pretty good, right?"

He tries to concentrate on the music but the tune slips past his fingers like melted butter. "I can't tell."

She gives him a light-hearted grin. "Of course you can't," she says teasingly and moves close to him and Aloha just watches her. The charm of the moment had broken for him, and his eyes just dart away as she edges closer.

"What's the matter?" she asks, and Aloha backs away, suddenly wishing to get out of here. The room is spinning, and he can't see properly. Cod, Rider was right.

"I-I need to get out of here. Sorry." He then turns and runs through the crowd, pushing past Inklings, the floor tilting under his feet.

Someone bumps into him and because his sense of balance is already so skewed, he falls backwards, a hand grabbing his arm at the last second, keeping him from landing on the pulsating ground. The room splits into two before combining into one picture again as Aloha focuses on his savior.

The first thing he notices is the mask, illuminated with the glow of the dance floor and neon lights scattered around the room. He can vaguely see his own reflection in the shiny plastic as he lets himself get pulled to his feet.

"You okay?" The words cut clearly through the mess of noise in Aloha's ears and the pink inkling focuses on the other. 

"I think so, thanks darling," he says, allowing a flirtatious smile to shine at the newcomer and to his delight, the other Inkling laughs, showing his teeth.

And suddenly Aloha is aware of the music around him changing tempo, as he stares at this Inkling, the one who saved him from getting trampled, the one who risked himself becoming Aloha's new item of attraction for barely more than a minute.

_You're feeling good, you're feeling right_

The other Inkling holds out his other hand, that grin still on his face. "Do you mind if I have this dance, good sir?"

Aloha, still dumbstruck, takes the outstretched hand and suddenly he's back on the dance floor, the lights pounding in time to his moves.

_Across the floor and I'm already losing my mind_.

His partner lets go of one hand, spinning him under one arm and Aloha obeys to the movements, a smile spreading across his own face as they both move to the beat.

_Baby girl, looking fine_

_Watch you playing and playing and playing these guys_ _  
_

The music is clear to his mind now, and it's like his eyes have suddenly been opened, like meeting this person had made him sober all of a sudden.

It's a good feeling to have, he realizes, and as they move closer to each other again, he asks, "You have a name, sweetheart?"

The other Inkling laughs, nods.

_Catch my stare, little smile_

"It's Scuba," he says, eyes bright beneath that mask of his, and Aloha can't help but laugh along; though he doesn't know what's so funny it just seems  _right_.

"I'm Aloha," he says in response and Scuba's eyes drift to his shirt for a moment before raising to meet his gaze, something like recognition and happiness shining there. He has to shout to be heard over the music."So I've heard."

_Tell me that you're ready and feeling the vibe_

"How'd you know, cutie?" Aloha catches Scuba's hand and presses it to his chest, allowing the warmth to spread through his body, making his limbs all tingly. "Did the shirt give it away?"

Scuba smirks, a welcome sight in this noise-filled pit of bodies, even as he wraps his other hand around Aloha's waist. "You could say that."

_Someday I'll be so damn sublime_

_We'll arrive behind a hashtag sign_ _  
_

That blush creeps up on him again, lighting the space between them. "Really now?" 

Scuba laughs again, and Aloha finds himself mentally grabbing for the sound, to imprint it on his brain forever. 

"You have a nice laugh," he says quietly and Scuba stares at him, before the corners of his lips twitch upwards.

"That's not the first time I've heard that."

_Break me down, dirty jokes_

"Mmm." Aloha finds himself swaying to the music again and allows Scuba to gently tug him towards his body. He rests his head on the taller Inkling's shoulder, arms draped around his neck. The effects of the shots are kicking in again and though the clarity of his senses are overwhelming, he mumbles just so Scuba can hear him, "You smell nice."

And it's true, because Scuba doesn't even smell like alcohol nor like roses; there's no sickly sweet scent drifting from him. He smells like the ocean, clean and new, and Aloha wants to fall into him, to embrace him.

_Watch me dear, and say what you wanna know_

"You know I'll probably forget this," he remembers suddenly, and Scuba hums in response.

"Yeah, the hindsight of getting drunk, huh?"

Aloha's eyes are closed; he opens them now, confused. "You aren't drunk?"

Scuba chuckles, the vibrations rumbling through Aloha's body. "Nah."  
Beauty lies, within the eyes

"I don't get it." And he doesn't get it at all, but he's tired now, and wants to stay here forever. Why would anyone willingly be with him when he's drunk? He gets too attached, too needy, for anyone to tolerate him both sober and drunk.

"You don't have to. Just dance with me." Scuba's head turns slightly, but Aloha doesn't want to let go. 

"'M already dancing, aren't I?"

The other Inkling's arms wind around him and he slowly starts backing up, forcing Aloha to walk with him, as they were so close, it was impossible to resist. That, and Aloha wanted to go everywhere Scuba went, he wanted the taller Inkling to keep him like this forever.  
Of the beholder, I'll be holding you close all night

"Remember me, then, alright? Jus' try."  
"Mmph." Aloha nods limply, his movements becoming more and more sluggish. He can barely hold his eyes open, the music and Scuba's voice becoming softer by the minute.

He drifts away in a world where Scuba stayed with him forever, in a world where he wouldn't wake up with a hangover and amnesia.

\---

He wakes up in a hotel bed, sheets tucked in around him, water and painkillers on the nightstand next to him, along with his phone and his visor. There's a note besides the glass of water, a piece of paper with a single heart drawn on it in loopy pink ink.

_I won't forget you but I may forget your name_


End file.
